I have recently learned that heroes come in all shapes and sizes. Many times it is an unassuming personality that makes the most impact. As I sat in a coffee shop in Manila with my new friend "Peter", I realized I was sitting with one of these quiet heroes.

Coming from a poor village with no opportunities for work or education, his future was bleak. Like you or I, Dao was terrified of becoming a child soldier. He told us, “I don’t like war. I feel that it is very bad for young children.”

In areas like the remote mountain villages of the Philippines, school is literally life saving. When children aren’t in school, they face a much higher risk of army recruitment and when they lack any tangible skills, they are more likely to find joining the army the only logical decision. From the outside looking in, it’s hard to imagine a child having no better option in life than to pick up a gun. Unfortunately, this is the reality for many children around the world, which is why our education projects are so vital. For many children, it’s the difference between life and death.